Now is the time to return to New Orleans. Now is the time to support the people and culture of this great city. I have visited so many times in the past for JazzFest and know that this year will be a great festival with new meaning (and the same crawfish monica, I hope).
Yes it is time to support New Orleans, but how about extending your stay by a few days and getting in touch with one of the many charities that are working down there to help with the relief effort that is still very much under way and desperately needed.
My husband and I also felt compelled to return once again to Jazz Fest and our beloved New Orleans. We were married in a lovely little French Quarter court yard several years ago. Although the Quarter is still there, the feeling is not the same,local residents are being forced out due to skyrocketing rents and "outsiders" are moving in. Jazz Fest was wonderful as always, it was great to see so many people return to support NO. It was distressing to see the corporate sponsors taking over,hope that trend can be reversed. We volunteered at Habitat For Humanity's Musicians Village project.That was the high point of our trip, to be able to help in some small way to rebuid this great city. I would challenge ALL who vist New Orleans to find some tangible way to help while you are there, the need is far greater than words can ever describe.
My husband, my 15 month old son, and myself went to Jazz Fest this year for 5 nights. We are regulars and could not imagine missing such a great time. We also felt the need to support the city and spend as much money as possible. We were worried about the conditions for health reasos but it was fine. The Jazz Fest was incredible. It was jam packed. Food was great as usual, music was phenomenal(although I could do without the mainstream top names-makes it less quaint and more corporate) We stayed at the Hilton Riverside which was great even though it too was under repair. We missed some of the usual restaurants due to closure. But we did find plenty of great places to eat. The French Quarter which was spared by most of the flood damage, but has suffered in many other ways. Many of the businesses are suffering because they have no workers, no steady business. We heard many people say that they don't think they can stay because there is not enough business. We went to Cafe Du Monde which is always packed. It wasn't while we were there and it was missing I would say 60% of its staff. The mall was a ghost town. We had a cab driver drive us to see some of the damage because it was hard to comprehend the damage from the French Quarter. It was very sad. It is far worse than any pictures you see on the news. We hope to return for 2007 Jazz Fest. People need to go to New Orleans to support the businesses and to keep it going.
I am planning a trip to New Orleans in Oct, I was there over 10 years ago and have been trying to get back ever since. Looking forward to supporting this city in my small way.
My family and I lived outside NO in Belle Chasse about 4 yrs ago,( we have friends there that had to evacuate and they went to California) We loved going to the FQ and I hope one day it will be the same as I remember it being.You are all in our prayers
That trip is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo neat! I wanna go there with everyone! If I can go there I would so go there! I would totally check it out because I know it is so n-e-a-t! Neat! I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would go there if I can, right? So if I go there I know it will be the best place in the world! Maybe I'll be someone who travels the whole world! I would like that and also that trip is so gonna be planned for my future just like other trips!
I live in New Orleans and yes it is getting better every day. How ever the thing the news media is not telling you that the crime we have is mostly drug related and not in the area that tourist will be in. So please come on down and help our city. and enjoy ... This years Jazz Fest is looking better and better. Enjoy
Jazz Fest was wonderful as always, it was great to see so many people return to support NO. It was distressing to see the corporate sponsors taking over,hope that trend can be reversed.
We volunteered at Habitat For Humanity's Musicians Village project.That was the high point of our trip, to be able to help in some small way to rebuid this great city. I would challenge ALL who vist New Orleans to find some tangible way to help while you are there, the need is far greater than words can ever describe.
The Jazz Fest was incredible. It was jam packed. Food was great as usual, music was phenomenal(although I could do without the mainstream top names-makes it less quaint and more corporate)
We stayed at the Hilton Riverside which was great even though it too was under repair. We missed some of the usual restaurants due to closure. But we did find plenty of great places to eat. The French Quarter which was spared by most of the flood damage, but has suffered in many other ways. Many of the businesses are suffering because they have no workers, no steady business. We heard many people say that they don't think they can stay because there is not enough business. We went to Cafe Du Monde which is always packed. It wasn't while we were there and it was missing I would say 60% of its staff. The mall was a ghost town.
We had a cab driver drive us to see some of the damage because it was hard to comprehend the damage from the French Quarter. It was very sad. It is far worse than any pictures you see on the news.
We hope to return for 2007 Jazz Fest. People need to go to New Orleans to support the businesses and to keep it going.